You need the magnetic mat to use it…

Once you have all the elements you need, though, this circle cutter is amazing!  I’m a sucker for circles and would use anything I could find to trace and cut out different sizes – bowls, cups, plates, you get the idea.  Only problem was that I couldn’t do graduated circles very well unless I got really lucky or changed my expectations to be happy with what I ended up with.  I’d been collecting circle cutters and even found a couple of options that worked fine.  Problem with them, though, was that they all maxed out at 6 inches.  Uhhh, what about the other 6 inches on my layout?

So, when I had the chance, I happily snapped it up to give it a spin (hehe).  Took some practice but once we figured it out (by this point everyone in the crop room was involved and curious, too!), it was total love.  We cut circles all different sizes that night.  All the way up to 12 inches, just because we could.    There were circles on everybody’s layouts.  It was wonderful!

It’s funny to highlight another We R Memory Keepers tool, but when they’re good, you’ve got to share!  Do you have a favorite circle cutter?  Like I said, you’ve got to share!    Add your notes to the comments for a drawing for a $20 gift certificate for the Little Monkeys Shop.  Deadline for comments in next Tuesday, July 13th.

Please also note: we are on the Tour schedule at our house this month.  We will return to normal life in another 2 1/2 weeks.  In the meantime, posts will be squeezed in between the daily coverage of each stage. 

Tomorrow will be our next Thursday Review – see you then!

And our winner for last week’s Thursday Reviews drawing is Stefani! Send me an email to susan@storemorestamps.com and we’ll wrap everything together for you with a pretty little bow!

And, yes, my pinkies really are that crooked. It’s not your eyes! ha!

Today we’re starting a new weekly series all about tips & tricks for using our system.  If you have any of your own to share, please send me an email to susan@storemorestamps.com and we’ll publish it.  We will include any links to blogs or message boards as appropriate, too!

To start things off, this tip is for another way to use the basic box itself.  The size is awesome for this – like it was made specifically to store Copics!

Here, I have been storing all my Copics in this cool Snapware stackable container.

Love this idea so far, I have a good spot for them in one of my drawers, have another one for my acrylic blocks, etc, etc.  Like the issue with my stamps used to be, though, it works fine but puts them away so I don’t see them and, therefore, don’t think to use them.  I’ve seen so many ideas for using Copics for things like coloring brads and ribbon that I’m dying to try and never remember until after I’m done with my project and spot my marker box as I’m putting things away.

So, I started thinking that having them more handy would make a huge difference.  And since storing them standing up isn’t a problem, our box is AWESOME for doing just that!

It’s also sturdy enough to turn on its side, which can be helpful, too.  Just don’t let them all come cascading down when you pull out one from the bottom! 

Just to give you an idea for capacity – there are just over 100 markers in the box right now with room for a few more, too.  I’m soooo impressed that the box worked this well for my markers!  They’ll be used so much more than before – and for things besides just my ‘special’ stamps that are good for coloring.  Eeep!  So excited with this discovery!

Edited to add: I’ve already received two emails about this so for everyone else wondering…  It is possible to purchase JUST the box without any inserts/sleeves.  Here’s a link – Little Monkeys Box

Thanks, guys, for helping spread the word about our Summer Fun Week!  It was tons of fun!  The winner for the grand prize is Stefani!  Send me an email to susan@storemorestamps.com and I’ll get with you about the gift certificate info and prize package.  So excited!

Today is going to be a quiet day here.  Big boys are playing at a friends house, little boys coloring, spaghetti sauce is already in the crockpot for supper, garden picked/being watered, Wimbledon is on, and swimming later.  Good to have a calm inside day out of the heat.  Ahhh…

Tomorrow we’re starting another weekly series to share fun tips & tricks about our system to share with you!  Add that to my quiet day today. 

This Summer Fun Week has been great fun!  It’s really flown by, too.  We’re continuing the fun today with a 25% off sale at the Little Monkeys Shop!  Enter the code 25SUMMER at checkout to receive your discount.  Have fun shopping, but don’t delay!  This special ends today, Sunday, June 27^th.

Today’s special special – all orders received today (Sat, 6/26) will include a FREE BASIC GREY PATTERNED PAPER PACK!

For our “stay in the cool house & out of the hot, baking sun” fun project, today the boys and I are going to make these fun owls!  Might throw in some fish, too, while we have the paper plates and paint out.  Then again, might need to save the fish idea for another craft day. 

Don’t forget there are two drawings going on right now – Thursday Reviews and also the big one for sharing the news about our Summer Fun Week!

]]> http://storemorestamps.com/blog/2010/06/27/sunday-fun/feed/ 0 http://storemorestamps.com/blog/2010/06/26/summer-saturday/ http://storemorestamps.com/blog/2010/06/26/summer-saturday/#comments Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:41:53 +0000 Susan http://storemorestamps.com/blog/?p=350

Saturdays in the summer are funny.  They’re more laid back than the rest of the week, but also can be really packed with things to do.  Today is one of the more laid back ones around here.  Time to enjoy it!  The boys are having Thomas Fest the last couple of days with a friend from up the street.  They’ve got the track running from the living room, down the hall and into the twins room.  It’s LONG!  Lots of sidings for them to pull off to let other trains go by, plus buildings and bridges along the way.  Kinda funny to watch two 4th graders and one 2nd grader playing Thomas.  Proof that love for Thomas doesn’t die.  It might go dormant now and then, but it’s still there. 

We’re continuing the fun this week with a 25% off sale at the Little Monkeys Shop!  Enter the code 25SUMMER at checkout to receive your discount.  Have fun shopping, but don’t delay!  This special will only last through Sunday, June 27^th.

Today’s special special – all orders received today (Sat, 6/26) will include a FREE PKG OF AMERICAN CRAFTS THIS TO THAT FOAM SQUARES!

For the grown-ups, today’s a day for making my great-grandmother’s coleslaw recipe.  I love, love, love it!  It’s so simple and fresh.  I’ve dreamed about having this recipe for years & am so glad to have it in my hot little hands!  This coleslaw goes great with barbecue, roast, and everything in between.  I’m so happy and it’s so yummy!

Who’d have thought I’d be so happy about cabbage?  It’s so not my thing otherwise.  lol  Please share your special “go-to” recipe!  Especially if it’s something cool!  We need more options for this hot weather time of year! 

We’re continuing the fun this week with a 25% off sale at the Little Monkeys Shop!  Enter the code 25SUMMER at checkout to receive your discount.  Have fun shopping, but don’t delay!  This special will only last through Sunday, June 27^th.

Today’s special special – all orders received today (Fri, 6/25) will include a FREE PKG OF AMERICAN CRAFTS THIS TO THAT FOAM CIRCLES!

Question for today…did you go to camp?  What kind of camp was it?  A lot of my friends also went to church camp, but our church didn’t so I missed that one!    Did you write letters home?  Have you found or been given any of those letters?  I’m going to make some letterhead and note cards now for my boys to write notes now (how’s that for planning ahead?).  Get them in the habit so they’ll be ready when they go to camp!  Maybe I’ll even address the envelopes for certain grandparent types to encourage them.  Any ideas for ‘boy’ type letterhead and note cards?

Don’t forget to share the news about our Summer Fun Week & report back to enter the grand prize drawing!  There’s more fun coming up this weekend.

“Happy campers are we,

having fun ‘neath the trees

and when we are gone

we’ll remember this song,

we are from Camp La Jita…”

sniff, sniff – Off to see if I can find some of my camp pictures.  I feel a layout coming on.  Maybe even if I can’t find the pics right now.  This memory business is some powerful stuff!

Today is the last day for our special sale – 35% off your entire order in the Little Monkeys Shop!  Enter the code SUMMER35 at checkout to receive your discount.  You need to hurry, though, since this special will only last through midnight tonight.  We’re continuing with another discount tomorrow, but it’ll be a little less.  Early bird gets the worm and all that jazz! 

Today’s special special – all orders received today (Thur, 6/24) will include a FREE RIBBON ASSORTMENT PACKAGE!

It’s Thursday and, besides the Summer Fun Week special, Thursday means time for another review…today’s review is the Sakura Souffle White pen!

This pen is really amazing – the white is the most opaque and bright white I’ve been able to find.  And I’ve tried every white pen I can find.  All in search of this one.

It’s kind of nerve-wracking when you start writing because it starts out very light, almost non-existent.  DON’T go back over it thinking you messed up, though!  Just wait.  As you keep going (or watch b/c you can’t take it), the white starts to puff up and take center stage.  All the worry is for nothing.  There it is, bright and white.  It is a souffle pen so it does add a little texture, but not anything overpowering.  TIP: I always do a quick test on a scrap piece of paper to make sure it’s flowing before I start.  Saves from any touch-ups you might otherwise need.

This pen is awesome on darker cardstock and even photos.  It’s definitely a must have for scrapbookers that journal directly onto their layouts.  It’s also saved me when I really wanted to make a darker card for a birthday.  Just right for a quick note and signature inside.  I’ve even added a black souffle pen to my tool bag since the coverage is so great!

Prices can vary quite a bit from around $2.50 – $4.00 for a pack of two.  Totally worth it, though, if you can find them.  Thank you, Carol and Archiver’s for getting this pen in my hands in the first place! 

Do you have a favorite white pen?  Which one?  What do you like about it?

Share your comment here and I’ll draw for a $20 gift certificate for the Little Monkeys shop!  Cut-off for comments is Tuesday, June 29nd.  And, if I can find one here in town, I’ll add a souffle pen or two!

Last up, a fun pic sure to make you smile and think back to your own sprinkler days!  Nathan and Colin were having such a great time.  Part of the fun might have been that it was just the two of them.  Doesn’t happen too often that you get to play with just one brother!

Happy Thursday!  Watch some tennis!  Can you believe that Isner vs. Mahut match?  I don’t know if I can bear to watch.  Wonder how they slept last night?!?! 

“I love my fiskars trimmer, but this one looks amazing. I might have to upgrade.”

Send me an email to susan@storemorestamps.com and I’ll get you the information for your gift certificate!

Two days to go for our special sale – 35% off your entire order in the Little Monkeys Shop!  Enter the code SUMMER35 at checkout to receive your discount.  You need to hurry, though, since this special will only last through Thursday, June 24^th.

Today’s special special – all orders received today (Wed, 6/23) will include a FREE SAMPLE SHEET FROM THE MAGNETIC MINI SET!  If you’ve been wondering about the new Magnetic Mini Set, now’s your chance to learn more about it.

Since the weather has turned warm, for us that means no more baking and limited cooking in the house.  Time for grilling and using the crock pot.  I also have a Pampered Chef deep dish baker that can be used in the microwave, but I haven’t gotten the guts to try it yet.  I have a chicken thawing in the refrigerator, though, so I’ll be doing it soon.  Gonna try the 30-minute chicken recipe, I think.  That said, we don’t really have any great recipes that don’t require an oven besides the usual standards.  What’s your fave recipe for the warm summer months?  Got a whole meal?  Even better!  Please share – we need some variety around here!